José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano (born 20 May 1935) is an Uruguayan politician. He served as President of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015.
He won the 2009 presidential election and took office as President on 1 March 2010. He has been called "the world's 'poorest' president" because he donates around 90 percent of his $12,000 monthly salary to charities to help poor people and small entrepreneurs.
Senate career
In the 1994 general elections, Mujica was elected deputy and in the elections of 1999 he was elected senator. In 1994 Mujica was chosen to be a deputy and then in 1999 he was chosen to be senator in the [general election] of Uruguay in that year. In 2004, Mujica's political party was very popular because of his charisma. In 2004 there were more elections and Mujica was chosen to be a senator again, this helped his political party and Tabaré Vázquez to be president.
Minister of Livestock
On March 1, 2005, President Tabaré Vázquez made Mujica as the Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (Mujica's own professional background was in the agricultural sector).
Since becoming minister, Mujica resigned his position as senator. He held this position until a cabinet change in 2008, when he resigned and was replaced by Ernesto Agazzi. Mujica then returned to his seat in the Senate.
Personal life
Mujica was born on 20 May 1935 in Montevideo, Uruguay. His parents were Demetrio Mujica, of Spanish Basque ancestry, and Lucy Cordano, of Italian descent.
In 2005, Mujica married senator Lucía Topolansky.